Based on some experience with native French speakers, Tom, I think I can
say that this is not one. She has a better French intonation than many
American singers, and fakes a good French accent when singing in English,
but her "la la la's" are as American as apple pie.
A quick check of WorldCat indicates that Peggy Lee has recorded this. Any
chance this is her?
Alec McLane
At 08:30 AM 3/7/2006, Tom Fine wrote:
http://www.richardhess.net/ampex/mystery_singer/
I put an MP3 at the above link from a tape I got in, mystery female
singer. Yes, this music is not exactly my taste either but here are some
relevant facts:
1. tape is early 60's type, Scotch 202 or something similar. It's not in
great shape, not in terrible shape. 15IPS NAB.
2. Not tones or splices, so I think it's a safety. The audio quality is
excellent, and it was obviously done in a good studio with good players
behind the singer, so I think it was a major record company gig.
3. the tape was in a lot of allegedly bulk-erased tapes but the client
said it might have come from somewhere else. This 19-minute section,
which seems to be an LP side worth of tunes, was spooled onto a 7" reel
and was in a plain white box that, based on its condition, was probably
later than when the reel was made.
4. the tape was fast-wound onto the reel but was tails out. As I said
earlier, it played OK and did not have any splices except to paper leader
at the head and tail. So I think it's a studio copy or a safety.
Any tips as to who's got the nice pipes, please let me know. Based on her
spoken and singing parts on other songs, I would say she is native French
or French Canadian. Again, this music is not my taste but based on her
intonation, the fact that there is a good orchestra behind her with tight
arrangements and the way she is mixed clearly out front of the band, I'd
say she is a pro and this was a real-deal record company gig.
-- Tom Fine
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Alec McLane
Scores & Recordings/
World Music Archives Phone: (860) 685-3899
Olin Library Fax: (860) 685-2661
Wesleyan University mailto:amclane@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Middletown, CT 06459 http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/srhome/srdir.htm